school stars  

ODFL volunteer students who really shine

Diana Chou - Los Altos, CA
Margaret Lewis - Los Altos, CA
Emily Lippe - Los Altos Hills, CA
Jeffery Lord - Bakersfield, CA
Robyn Freeman - Palo Alto, CA
Katie Troxell - Mountain View, CA
Michael Augustine - Palo Alto, CA
Lauren Crum - Los Altos, CA
Rachel Clark - Palo Alto, CA
Emma Anders - Burlingame, CA

Diana Chou, Los Altos High School, Los Altos, CA

Diana Chou travelled with ODFL to Nicaragua to build the school in San Martin in the summer of 2009.  When she returned, she wrote the lead story for the first-ever ODFL newsletter which you can see here.  Diana is the president of the Los Altos High School ODFL chapter.  In that role, she helped organize the "Laptops For Life" campaign which sent 41 laptops to schools in Kenya.  She also organized 28 high schools in northern California to combine efforts for the "Hand Up For Haiti" campaign.

According to Diana:

"My generation WANTS to make a better world.  We WANT to become more effective human beings.  ODFL is a way we can do both."

Margaret Lewis, Los Altos High School, Los Altos, CA

Margaret Lewis was the very first student member of ODFL. She not only organized ODFL’s first fundraisers, she created many of the Public Service Announcements that are still being used today. She traveled to Kenya in the summer of 2007 to help build ODFL’s first school, in Naromoru. And she went to Nepal in the summer of 2008 to help commemorate the ODFL school in Dahlsinge. For many people, Margaret has been the “heart and soul” of ODFL. She is attending NYU’s Tisch School of Arts in September 2008 where she was one of only five students (out of over 10,000 applicants) granted early admission.

According to Margaret:

“To realize that this school will be here for generations and that it was built by thousands of one-dollar donations from kids like me, it’s just unbelievable.”

Emily Lippe, Pinewood High School, Los Altos Hills, CA

Emily Lippe graduated from Pinewood High School in June 2008, but she originally went to Los Altos High School. While there, she helped organize the very first-ever ODFL fundraiser in February, 2007. At Pinewood she’s been a star on the girl’s basketball team and worked on the student newspaper. She organized the first ODFL fundraiser there, to buy piglets for families in Nepal so they wouldn’t have to sell their daughters into slavery. She will be attending Wesleyan University in the fall of 2008. According to Emily: "I don’t think kids understand how much power they really have. If every one of us just does a little—but we all do it—we will change the world.”

Jeffery Lord, Centennial High School, Bakersfield, CA

As President of Centennial High School’s Interact Club, Jeffery Lord helped organize Centennial’s first ODFL fundraiser, in May 2007. It was also the first ODFL fundraiser in Southern California. Jeffery is an Eagle Scout and headed Centennial’s “We The People” team that placed third in the state competition. He ran varsity Cross Country and Track and sang in the school choir and played in the school musicals all four years of high school. He now attends Brigham Young University.

According to Jeffery,

“Nothing is more rewarding than coming home exhausted knowing that you’ve spent your day in the best way possible - helping others.”

Robyn Freeman, Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA

Robyn Freeman is an ODFL star at Gunn High School. As a freshman, she organized the second fundraiser ODFL ever held, in April 2007. She organized Gunn’s second one, in November 2007. She also headed Gunn’s participation in the very first ODFL Wheels of Wonder bicycle drive that sent 452 bikes to Africa. Finally, she traveled with 13 other students to Nepal in summer 2008 to commemorate ODFL’s first school in that country.

According to Robyn:

"I want a better world for my generation and I realize nobody’s going to just give it to us. But if we all do just a little, we can make it happen."

Katie Troxell, St. Francis High School, Mountain View, CA

In her sophomore year in 2007, Katie led one of the first-ever ODFL fundraisers, raising over $1,500. The money was used to help pay for ODFL’s first-ever school in Naromoru, Kenya. Katie went to Kenya with seven other students to commemorate the school’s completion. In the summer of 2008, she traveled with 13 other students to Nepal to help complete the 3 room ODFL school in the village of Dalsinghe. She has also helped recruit students from several other schools to do ODFL fundraisers.

According to Katie, “We have so much and if we all work together it takes so little to help other people. It’s more than fun. It’s more than rewarding. It’s life changing.”

Michael Augustine, Jordan Middle School, Palo Alto, CA

Michael Augustine co-led with Al Brooks Jordan Middle School's first 'One Dollar For Life' fundraiser. He was backed up by the school's Student Council and Peer Helpers. Michael's team split up into several groups. For example there was staff awareness, noon time activities, and the accountants. Michael recruited teacher Andrea Shagory who hosted a staff lunch that added to the drive’s success. Jordan focused on raising money for the milk cows at the Nanyuki Children’s Orphanage in Nanyuki, Kenya. It is one of the most successful ODFL fundraisers to date. Michael will attend Palo Alto High School next year.

Lauren Crum , Los Altos High School, Los Altos, CA

Lauren Crum just graduated from Los Altos High School. In her senior year in 2007-2008, she organized three fundraisers: a normal ODFL fundraiser in October; the very first Wheels of Wonder bicycle drive, in partnership with Gunn High School; and a special fundraiser to help victims of the 2008 Chinese earthquake. She is a nationally-ranked soccer player and will attend St. Mary’s College in the fall of 2008.

According to Lauren:

"This has been the most meaningful experience of my high school career. I mean, it’s not even a question that we have to help others. We have to”

Rachel Clark, Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA

Emma Anders, Burlingame High School, Burlingame, CA